STIMULANTS. 113 
its abuse. Taking the most hopeful view of the temperance 
cause, we do not think it will succeed in abolishing the liquor 
traffic. Atthe same time we wish it God-speed, and are certain 
that as in the past so in the future it will carry its conquests 
in every land, and thus become a helper in the salvation of our 
race. However much some men may discount the value of 
the doctors, it must be conceded that they have a power over 
popular sentiment for good and evil. Their folly in the past 
has had a good deal to do with the pernicious drinking customs 
of the people. Many and many a one has blamed the doctors for 
making them drunkards. A man or woman, not having 
attended to the laws of health, feels languid and out of sorts. 
The family doctor is consulted, who, not finding anything much 
the matter with them, prescribes a stimulant, and as he knows 
they have an aversion to bitters, he writes ‘“‘ spiritus vinum 
Gallic.” brandy, or some such spurious stimulant. The languid 
one likes the false stimulation given, which, however, is only 
temporary, and has to be repeated and repeated till the habit 
is formed, which is not improperly termed the devil’s chain. 
We read an account of a lady in our native land who fell, 
after the above example, and came to a ‘terrible end through 
it Her husband, who was a business man in a well-to-do 
position, was nearly heart-broken. One day he took the children 
to the coast for holidays. That night an old nurse, who was also 
an old drinker, spent a convivial evening with her. Whisky 
was drunk with such relish that both became drunk, and it is 
supposed upsetthelamp. This is conjecture, but the following 
morning a heap of ruins was found, in the midst of which were 
the charred bodies of the unfortunate women. We should not 
like to be the doctor that started that woman on the downward 
course. But enough of moralizing. Spirits of wine, pure, are 
poison, if taken in over doses and undiluted. However, custom 
has so hardened some human beings’ throats that a wineglassful 
of methelated spirits (enough to poison a horse) can be 
swallowed, The sensation caused by this fiery liquid passing 
over the mucous membrane of the throat has been said to be 
like a saw going down. We might ask, why on earth domen 
